Concealed double-pivot hinge for hinged enclosure

ABSTRACT

A concealed double-pivot hinge is disclosed which will allow a hinged cover to be opened substantially 180* with respect to a fixed portion of an enclosure. The hinge has one pivot member secured to the cover and a second pivot member secured to the fixed portion of the enclosure. The pivot pin on the cover is mounted slightly higher than the pivot pin on the fixed portion of the enclosure. At least one U-shaped link is provided having the end of one leg secured to one pivot member and the end of the other leg secured to the other pivot member. The U-shaped link has the outer edges of the legs parallel to each other and the inner edges of such leg parallel to each other, but the outer edges of the legs are nonparallel or in an angular relation to the inner edges of the legs.

United States Patent FOREIGN PATENTS 362,335 7/1962 Switzerland ABSTRACT: A concealed double-pivot hinge is disclosed which will allow a hinged cover to be opened substantially 180 with respect to a fixed portion of an enclosure. The hinge has one pivot member secured to the cover and a second pivot member secured to the fixed portion of the enclosure. The pivot pin on the cover is mounted slightly higher than the pivot pin on the fixed portion of the enclosure. At least one U- shaped link is provided having the end of one leg secured to one pivot member and the end of the other leg secured to the other pivot member. The U-shaped link has the outer edges of the legs parallel to each other and the inner edges of such leg parallel to each other, but the outer edges of the legs are nonparallel or in an angular relation to the inner edges of the legs.

Patented Aug. 24, 1971 4 3,600,742

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Walla/d1? Patented Aug. 24, 1971- 3,600,742.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I [M72255 CONCEALED DOUBLE-PIVOT HINGE FOR HINGED ENCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to concealed hinges and more particularly to a concealed hinge having a double pivot.

In many types of enclosure, it is desirable to provide concealed hinges to prevent the deterioration of such hinges due to exposure and also to prevent injury from projecting parts. Also, as will be understood, concealed hinges add to the attractiveness of such enclosures. Often it is desirable to provide hinges which will allow opening of a portion of an enclosure for 180 or more. For such openings, double-pivot hinges are necessary. One type of concealed double-pivot hinge is found in the prior art in US. Pat. No. 1,735,696 issued Nov. I2, 1929.

Recently in the distribution transformer field, low height surface mounted transformers have been designed. These transformers have an enclosure to protect the transformer and its various connections. However, it is required that ready access be provided to the various connections of the transformer. A relatively simple manner of achieving this result is to contain the transformer in a fixed enclosure and to provide a hood member hinged to such fixed enclosure to protect the connections while providing easy access thereto. With such hinged hood, the need for concealed double-pivot hinges arises. This is necessary to allow a complete opening of the hood and letting it rest on the fixed enclosure during work on the connections underneath such hood. Since it is desirable that one man be able to operate such movable hood so as to perform any necessary service on the connections to the transformer, it has been found desirable to provide a double-pivot hinge which will pivot first about a movable pivot point and then about a fixed pivot point when lifting the hood to prevent jamming of the hood in a partially open position.

It has been discovered that these desirable features can be obtained in a double-pivot hinge by the proper placement of the pivot points and the proper design of a U-shaped link pivotally secured to such pivot pins.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a novel, double-pivot concealed hinge.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel, double-pivot concealed hinge which will pivot first about a movable pivot point and then about a fixed pivot point.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel, double-pivot hinge which will prevent simultaneous rotation about both pivot points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In carrying out this invention in one form, an enclosure is provided having a hood pivotally secured to such enclosure by at least one double-pivot concealed hinge. One pivot is mounted on the enclosure while a second pivot is mounted on the hood, with the pivot on the hood being slightly higher in a horizontal plane than the pivot on the enclosure. At least one substantially U-shaped link is provided having one end of one leg pivotally secured to one pivot while the other end of the other leg is pivotally secured to the second pivot.

The invention which is sought to be protected will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims appended hereto. However, it is believed that this invention and the manner in which its various objects and advantages are obtained as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following. detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, particularly when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a low height surface mounted transformer which may utilized a preferred form of the invention disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the low height surface mounted transformer of FIG. 1 showing the pivotable hood in its open position and showing the use of the concealed double pivot hinges of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one form of concealed double-pivot hinge according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the preferred form of concealed double-pivot hinge showing such hinge mounted to the transformer of FIG. 1 is a closed position;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the preferred form of double-pivot hinge of this invention applied to the transformer of FIG. 2 with the hood in the open position;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view with parts broken away showing the mounting of the preferred form of double-pivot hinge according to this invention in the transformer enclosure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the hinged hood in its half-open position utilizing the preferred form of double pivot hinge according to this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the hood in its fully open position utilizing the preferred form of doublepivot hinge according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a concealed double-pivot hinge and will be described specifically with reference to the use of such hinge in a low height surface mounted transformer. However, it will be understood that the concealed double-pivot hinge of this invention may find utility in other fields. Reference will now be made to the drawing in which like numerals will be used to indicated like parts throughout the various views thereof. Referring specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown a low height surface mounted transformer 10 comprising a fixed enclosure member 12 enclosing a transforming device such as, for example, a distribution transformer (not shown) and including a hinged portion 14 which is hinged to the fixed enclosure portion 12. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transformer 10 is normally mounted on the ground 16 preferably on a cement pad 18 in a manner which is well understood by those skilled in the transformer art. The hinged hood or portion 14 is normally provided with a slot through which a hasp mounted on part of the fixed member 12 extends and a padlock such as 20 is provided to firmly lock the hinged hood 14 to prevent access to the transformer connections.

Referring to FIG. 2 it is seen that the hinged hood 14 is in a fully open position and resting on top of the fixed enclosure 12. This provides ready access to the transformer connections, generally shown at 22. The hood 14 is hinged to the fixed member 12 by means of concealed double-pivot hinges which are indicated at 24 in FIG. 2. As is shown in FIG. 2, a pair of double-pivot concealed hinges are provided.

FIG. 3 shows one form of a double pivot concealed hinge 24 in accordance with this invention. As is shown in FIG. 3, the hinge 24 comprises a pivot pin or member 26 which is fixed in mounting member 28 which may be used to secure the pivot 26, for example, to the fixed member 12 as is indicated in FIG. 4. In a similar manner, a second pivot 30 is provided mounted in a second mounting member 32 which may be used, for example, to secure the second pivot 30 to the hinged hood 14 as is shown in FIG. 4. Pivotally secured between the pivots 26 and 30 are shown a pair of pivot links 34 and 35 which are substantially U-shaped, as shown in the preferred form. As can be seen, particularly in FIG. 4, the U-shaped links, for example, U-shaped link 34, are provided with the legs 36 and 38, leg 36 being secured to pivot 26 and leg 38 being secured to pivot 30. As can be seen the outer edge of leg 36 is parallel to the outer edge of leg 38 while the inner edge of leg 36 is at an angle with respect to its outer edge. In a similar manner, the outer edge of leg 38 is in angular relation to the inner edge of leg 38. Of course, it will be apparent from FIG. 4 that the inner edges of the legs 36 and 38 are also in substantially parallel relationship to each other. This is designed to allow the cover or hood 14 to open more than 90 about pivot 30 prior to the pivoting of the hood about the pivot 26. In the following discussion, the pivot 30 will be referred to as the movable pivot while the pivot 26 will be referred to as the fixed pivot.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, it can be seen that pivot 30 which is mounted in mounting means 32 secured to hood 14 is in a higher horizontal plane than the pin 26 which is mounted in the mounting means 28 secured to the edge of the fixed enclosure 12. This can be. seen by the centerline X-X through the pin 26 which is lower in the horizontal plane than the center line of .pin 30. By use of this mounting of pivot pins 26 and 30, opening of hood l4 first pivots about the movable pivot member 30 until it is in the half-open position shown, for example, in FIG. 7, and then pivots about the fixed pivot 26 until it rests back on the fixed member 12 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2,5 and 8.

I Referring now to FIG. 5, it can. be seen that when the hood 14 is in its fully open position and resting on top of the enclosure 12 that the centerline in a vertical direction of pivot 30 does not meet or pass the vertical centerline through pivot 26. As will be apparent from this figure, by means of this construction when closing of the hood 14 the hood will first pivot about fixed point 26 until the outer edge of leg 36 contacts the fixed enclosure 12, then the hood will continue pivoting about the movable pivot 30 until the hood is in the closed position shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the action of the double pivot concealed hinge of this invention will be described. As is shown in FIG. 6, the hinge 24 has the mounting means 28 connected to the front edge of fixed enclosure 12 while mounting means 32 is secured to the underside of the top portion of hood 14. As will be noted, pin 30 is slightly higher than the pivot 26. When the hood 14 is open, as is shown particularly in FIG. 7, the hood l4 first pivots about the movable pivot 30 until the edge of hood 14 contacts the inner side of leg 38 as shown particularly in FIG. 7. When this contact is made, as

can be seen, the hood is open slightly more than 90. The hoodl4 locks against link 34 thereby causing further pivoting about the fixed pivot 26. The pivoting of hood 14 continues as shown in FIG. 8 until the hood rests firmly on the top of fixed member 12 thereby allowing any necessary repair or servicing of the various connections of the transformer shown at 22 in FIG. 2. As will be understood in closing of the hood the reverse action takes place, that is, first in closing the pivoting vantages as herein set forth. It will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art that the concealed double pivot hinge of this invention may find utility in areas other than surface mounted distribution transformers. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A concealed double-pivot hinge for a hinged enclosure comprising in combination a movable member, a fixed member, a first pivot pin secured to said movable member, a second pivot pin secured to said fixed member, said second pivot pin being lower in a horizontal plane than said first pivot pin, at last one substantially U-shaped link having the end of one leg secured to the first pivot pin and the end of a second leg secured to said second pivot pin, and in which the outer edges of said legs are parallel and the inner edges of said legs are parallel, and the inner edge of each leg is at an angle with resyect to the outer ed e of each leg.

. A concealed dou le-pivot hinge for a hinged enclosure comprising in combination a movable member, a fixed member, only two pivot pins, a first pivot pin secured to said movable member, a second pivot pin secured to said fixed member, said second pivot pin being lower in a horizontal plane than said first pivot pin, at least one substantially U- shaped link having the end of one leg secured to the first pivot pin and the end of a second leg secured to said second pivot pin, said link constructed such that when said movable member is opened the vertical centerline through said first pivot pin does not meet or pass the vertical centerline through said second pivot pin. 

1. A concealed double-pivot hinge for a hinged enclosure comprising in combination a movable member, a fixed member, a first pivot pin secured to said movable member, a second pivot pin secured to said fixed member, said second pivot pin being lower in a horizontal plane than said first pivot pin, at last one substantially U-shaped link having the end of one leg secured to the first pivot pin and the end of a second leg secured to said second pivot pin, and in which the outer edges of said legs are parallel and the inner edges of said legs are parallel, and the inner edge of each leg is at an angle with respect to the outer edge of each leg.
 2. A concealed double-pivot hinge for a hinged enclosure comprising in combination a movable member, a fixed member, only two pivot pins, a first pivot pin secured to said movable member, a second pivot pin secured to said fixed member, said second pivot pin being lower in a horizontal plane than said first pivot pin, at least one substantially U-shaped link having the end of one leg secured to the first pivot pin and the end of a second leg secured to said second pivot pin, said link constructed such that when said movable member is opened the vertical centerline through said first pivot pin does not meet or pass the vertical centerline through said second pivot pin. 